After Australia expelled Iran’s ambassador over evidence that Tehran was behind two antisemitic attacks against the Jewish community, The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the operations were actually carried out on its behalf by local “crooks and gangsters” — who also botched two earlier attempts referenced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Report in Australia abouut Synagogue fire
According to documents from the Supreme Court of New South Wales, the attacks were directed by Sydney criminal Saeed Mousavi, who used the alias “James Bond” on the encrypted messaging app Signal to coordinate them.
In one case, on September 30, Mousavi messaged his associate Wayne Ogden: “I’ve got something good planned.” Two weeks later, Ogden was spotted driving with stolen plates alongside accomplice John Amway. At 2:00 a.m. they parked in Bondi wearing gloves and ski masks, moving toward Carly Lewis Brewery — a site police later described as unrelated to Jews or religion.
Amway allegedly carried a hammer, but the two fled after being noticed by a passerby. Mousavi later wrote: “You failed the test, you can’t even do something small. A 16-year-old could’ve done it.” The trio later met two more men, and Mousavi told them he had been paid $12,000 to organize an arson attack in the same neighborhood.
The men were instructed to target Lewis Continental Kitchen on Carlyle Street, but mistakenly went again to Carly Lewis Brewery, where they poured accelerant on the door and set it alight. The fire was quickly doused by sprinklers.
Enraged, Mousavi messaged an accomplice: “You screwed everything up. If you couldn’t do it, why go? It didn’t even burn 2%, I’m dead.” One accomplice texted the other: “I’m starting to think he sent us to the wrong place LOL.” Days later, Ogden torched the restaurant kitchen as planned, causing over $1 million in damages. The brewery arsonists were arrested and jailed. Ogden and Amway now face multiple indictments, while Mousavi, released on $2 million bail, is due back in court.
Although Mousavi’s charges make no reference to Iran, law enforcement sources told the paper: “Iran has been working with outlaw motorcycle gangs for years.” Mousavi migrated to Australia with his family from Afghanistan in 2005 and has a history of violence, including drug, kidnapping and weapons offenses.
This is not the first time Iran has used local criminals to attack foreign targets. A year after attempted attacks on Israeli embassies in Europe, the U.S. Treasury sanctioned Sweden’s Foxtrot crime syndicate and its fugitive Kurdish-Swedish leader Rawa Majid in March, citing ties to Iran and attacks on Israeli targets.
Foxtrot, based mainly in Sweden, is involved in drug trafficking and violent attacks on Israeli and Jewish sites in Europe. In January 2024, it attacked Israel’s embassy in Stockholm on Iran’s orders. Four months later, shots were fired near the same embassy, and a week later “airsoft” grenades were thrown into Israel’s embassy compound in Belgium. Investigations concluded Iran was behind the incidents, using two rival gangs, including Foxtrot.
On May 30, it was revealed that European crime organizations were advancing terror plots against Jews and Israeli embassies under Iranian direction. Israeli intelligence (Mossad) said terror infrastructure run by Iran and criminal gangs had been exposed after a long joint intelligence effort with European agencies.
Although Mousavi’s charges make no reference to Iran, law enforcement sources told the paper: 'Iran has been working with outlaw motorcycle gangs for years'
Swedish security services confirmed Iran’s involvement, with counterintelligence chief Daniel Stenling saying Tehran was using crime groups amid Sweden’s gang wars. Hours after Sweden’s revelation, authorities announced: “Iran ordered activities threatening security against representatives of other states it deems enemies, including attempts to harm Israeli and Jewish interests.”
In practice, Iran exploits various European gangs — sometimes even rival ones — to leverage their strengths for attacks. Investigations show that Foxtrot and another gang, Rumba, are directly responsible for violent actions and terror plots across Europe, financed and directed by Iran and monitored closely by European security services. Now, authorities in another continent — Australia — also confirm Tehran is using similar methods there.